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Subject: What age to start roading?

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jprasmus
Ames, IA

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09/03/2008 6:46 PM	Alert
Just wondering if a dog can be too young to road. If i dont have time to let him swim and wear himself out at night, i have been taking him a mile out of town and letting him run

Paco
On a stream in NW,MI.

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09/04/2008 4:26 PM	Alert
What exactly do you mean by roading? What is the age of the dog?--I wouldn't really road a dog 'till it was physically mature. PACO

Association of the MM,and proud member of Team RUN-N-GUN--- GMPR HRCH Fraquelli's Sauble River "Gator" and introducing--CPR HRK's Liberators Outlaw"Rondo"

Doc_E
N.E. WA state

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09/04/2008 5:42 PM	Alert
Free roading : If you have had a pup on a good Glucosamine & Chondroitin supplement, about a year old should be fine. If not, I'd wait till 14 months. How is it that you are running your dog? .

Doc E and Cujo Casey boy.

Trout Bum
Elbert County, CO

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09/05/2008 8:00 AM	Alert
If you’re talking about roading with a harness and restraint you should wait until the dog is mature. If you’re talking about free roading, there’s no reason why you can’t do it with a young dog. Free roading off a horse, bike, ATV or truck is not much different than off of foot. Though the pace might be a little faster than off foot it shouldn’t be a race and no more than double the speed if you were on foot.

¶r²

jprasmus
Ames, IA

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09/05/2008 9:30 AM	Alert
He's 18 weeks old. It is free roading, mostly on bike. The other weekend on a road trip to my parents we let him run behind the car for a while to burn some energy. He's still ready to play afterwards so he isn't overduing it, I just wanted to make sure running a mile and a half or so at that age isnt doing any physical damage to joints

Paco
On a stream in NW,MI.

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09/05/2008 9:45 AM	Alert
He's too young.18 WEEKS,Way too young IMO.......IT'S THE GROWTH PLATES,JOINTS ETC.THAT AREN'T DEVELOPED YET,that you could be damaging,re-read these posts.--Especially Docs,and the last line from trout bum.---Paco

Association of the MM,and proud member of Team RUN-N-GUN--- GMPR HRCH Fraquelli's Sauble River "Gator" and introducing--CPR HRK's Liberators Outlaw"Rondo"

Trout Bum
Elbert County, CO

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09/05/2008 10:04 AM	Alert
I think the term "roading" gets taken way too litterally in many cases....ideally a road shouldn't be in the picture. Traditionally roading was and is used to condition mature dogs and used with a harness and the dog pulling. When ATV's came around many folks started "free roading" to condition their dogs. Neither should involve a road, unless it's a 2-track farm road, old logging road or a place that won't involve other vehicles. I would never turn a dog out to follow or chase my car.......he probably thinks you're leaving him. If free roading, you realy want the dog out front, just like you do when you're hunting. Again the pace shouldn't be much faster than if you were on foot. Paco, I don't think there's a problem free roading a pup when done with the pace I described. We'd run 10-12 week old pups with the older dogs off horseback on a regular basis and sometimes by themselves or with another pup. When I say we, I don't have a mouse in my pocket, talking about the AF horseback trial group.

¶r²

KwickLabs
Roscoe, IL

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09/05/2008 11:44 AM	Alert
Here's a link to information about "roading". Canine Endurance Training (Link) August 1st, all four of my dogs started a free running "roading" program. Gunny is the youngest and just turned 14 months old. He has been training every day....doing extensive drill work balanced with marking drills. He has completed T work, swim-by and been decheated. Gunnny is well into transition (running cold blinds). He was in great shape for a young retriever and physically ready for "roading". All four dogs are into the fifth week of endurance training. Gunny is running only two miles per each of his three weekly sessions. He has no problem doing this and the distance will not be increased. The older dogs ar presently up to running five miles per session (every other day). We "road" early in the morning. This year August has been extremely mild with many mornings starting out in the 60's. Cool, heavy dew has been almost a regular event. This has made it easier to get the miles in. Near the end of this initial conditioning program which leads up to a trip to South Dakota Oct 21st, I will pick days that are a little more challenging in terms of temperature. The older dogs will peak at seven miles per session, but Gunny will remain at his two miles max. He is young and there is no need to place any pressure on him to hunt in the uplands for extended periods. The older dogs will carry the load. Then again, I have the luxury of switching three excellent upland dogs out on a regular basis so that none will be "run into the dirt"......so to speak. Gunny will get short, sweet exposures and finish fresh.

Jim Boyer www.kwicklabs.com Home of: MPR UH HRCH Kwick Taffey of Joemac's MH Kwick Kooly Dew It Allstar SH Kwick Daisy's Spirit Keeper SH Kwick Draw McGraw ("Dustbucket" II) ---------------------------------- "Excellence is Expected"

Trout Bum
Elbert County, CO

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09/05/2008 12:03 PM	Alert
Good information and a great conditioning program Jim. Love the early mornings, especially when there's dew on the grass. Have fun in SD, you're certainly taking the right approach to get them in shape for the trip. Looking forward to the pics, travel safely. I'm certainly not implying it's okay to free road pups for extended periods. A 20 minute outing possibly 30 for a little older pup would be no problemo..... Again similar to the "walk" only taking the easy way out for the handler and having the ability to exercise mulltiple dogs at the same time.

¶r²

2Blackdogs!
Kansas City Area - GO CHIEFS !!!

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09/05/2008 2:28 PM	Alert
18 weeks way too young IMHO- Should be you on foot with that dog.

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Forums > American Pointing Labrador Association > General > What age to start roading?